What do I have here?

[DrGunner]

Hi Y'all- new member here, first post...


I have a S&W .44Mag revolver that I inherited. There is very little in the way of identifying marks... only a 4 digit serial number on the bottom of the butt "3777"











Can anyone help? I can post more detailed pics if necessary...

DrGunner

 

[Xfuzz]

Not a S&W serial number.
No model number stamped on the yoke...IE 29-2.
I see no S&W logo stamp. No assembly numbers.

In short...no clue.

 

[murphydog]

Welcome, and sorry...

This is a .44 Magnum, or more likely a model 29 made after this model was assigned a number. It has been refinished, and unfortunately the legal serial number (a letter S or N followed by up to six digits) has been removed from the bottom of the grip frame, and possibly also from the frame just behind the ejector rod housing in photo 5. Alteration of the legal SN on any gun is a Federal offense with heavy penalties, making the gun illegal to possess.

Your best option is probably to take all the parts off and keep them, leaving the bare frame, and turning that into your local BATFE office for disposal, along with an explanation of how you didn't know how it got to its current state. Others here may have another opinion. Good luck in your decision.

 

[Hondo44]

Welcome to the forum.

That gun has been 'wiped clean' of most of it's markings and reblued.

The # on the butt could very well be a legally re-issued serial #. The S&W number for a 44 Mag would be 6 digits with an S prefix.

What is the # stamped on the left side of the backstrap which appears to end with an S ?

Your best chance of finding the original serial # is to find it on the back side of the extractor star with a flashlight and magnifying glass. Push it out like when extracting empty cases and look there.

 

[DWalt]

I have seen several similarly-stamped non-factory butt numbers. No idea how they got there. The gun appears to have been sanitized for some reason. I sure wouldn't bet on how legal it is. It is definitely not a BATFE-authorized replacement SN. Were it for sale, I wouldn't touch it. If I owned it I would not advertise the fact nor talk about it to anyone.

 

[DrGunner]

I appreciate all the answers, the gun came from a relative in the far northwest of the country where folks don't care much about legality. I'll look in the other locations folks have suggested and see what I can find. I'd like to keep it as it was willed to me, but not if that means breaking the law.

DrGunner

 

[Inusuit]

Not caring about legality won't help you much if for one reason or another (use of the revolver in a self defense shooting for example) the revolver comes to the attention of law enforcement. Perhaps others will have recommendations about how to determine the status of this firearm, but if it were mine, I would follow murphydog's recommendations. Family heirloom not worth hassle/fines/jail time.

 

[Peak53]

The barrel also appears to have been shortened

 

[DrGunner]

Thanks All!

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't belong in my safe. I have some close friends who are local LEOs so my plan is to turn it over for destruction tomorrow. I'm sad to let it go because it belonged to a very close relative, but I have a safe full of legal guns and a family to provide for. No gun is worth breaking the law over.

I appreciate the help and input here, I moderate on another busy shooting forum and the info and help here has been quick, courteous and straightforward.


Respectfully,


DrGunner

 

[GerSan69]

Doc, I'd follow the previous advice and strip it of all the parts before you relinquish it. The only "illegal" part is the frame. If nothing else, you can make a few $$ selling the cylinder, etc.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! Sorry for your loss. I second the other recommendations to strip the gun and surrender the frame. I realize you aren't looking to make $$ off this, but there are legitimate guns out there that need parts to keep them functional. We lose too many gun parts to the scrap heap as it is.

 

[Hondo44]

DrGunner,

I wouldn't panic yet. It could be a legitimate gun that was re-serial numbered locally from where it came from in the "north west" as you said. If you have LEO friends, have them check it out for you. I've had guns that were re-serial numbered with the local sheriffs dept.

 

[Jim Watson]

As Hondo- Other Jim says, there are guns out there that were renumbered by LE agencies other than the BATF. The feds might not consider that legitimate, but it was done with every intention of legitimizing the gun to its real owner after theft recovery or such.

I recently saw a picture of a "scrubbed" 911 with numbers in the same font and about the same depth of impression. I would do some checking around, like with a lawyer as intermediary, before I threw a good gun away.

 

[Jim Watson]

gee, why won't the board let me correct 911 to 1911?

 

[DrGunner]

Took your advice

Good points, all. I could keep parts and buy another 29. The good news is that the police chief in my town is a friend, we spoke at length and I'm going to turn it in to him tomorrow and he's going to contact ATF and find out if it is possible for me to keep the gun as is or he wants to register it with BATF through his department. He's been a good friend for 19 years and I trust that he has nothing but my best interests at heart so I can trust him to keep me on track to do the right thing, he seems to think that I have a good chance of being allowed to keep it as is, but also didn't seem concerned if his department has to re-serialize the gun.

Whew! I never expected this scenario when I joined here to post this, but I sure am glad I did. I often shoot outdoors at a gravel pit where many LEOs go, so this discovery could easily have been a costly and troublesome one.

Again, I sincerely appreciate all the help and advice, here and in PM. Glad to be welcomed by a great group of folks. I'll get around to posting some of my other S&Ws like the custom mount I made to put a Burris FF3 on my LEGAL 622, lol:




DrGunner

 

[Hondo44]

That sounds very positive. If it all works out, I'd suggest getting the resolution in writing to keep with the firarm.

And bravo on the Burris mount!

 

[cndrdk]

If someone was attempting to "clean" the revolver of identifying marks, I doubt they would stamp a random number on bottom. I used to work in auto theft (as a detective, not thief) and was called on several times to verify serial numbers and fill out affidavit on certain items with a newly stamped or re stamped serial number. For example, a home made trailer needing a serial number so it can be registered.

 

[S42N8]

At the risk of adding some uncertain value to this, there may be a S/N stamped on the inner surface of the yoke. It may be visible if viewed through one of the chambers. Given the degree of effort in removing the original S/N and other markings, this may be gone as well, or if this is a parts gun, may have no relationship to the frame S/N.
Only real value of that number (if it's there) will be for your police chief in running the weapon through the NTC. If that S/N comes up in the NTC check, it may shed some light on the history of that gun, or may be completely unrelated. Good luck, and I hope you get to have that gun established with a valid S/N; the alterations aside, I have a warm spot in my heart for 4" M29s.

 

[steelslaver]

Please keep us updated on the process and outcome as you try to get this gun legitimized. I once came across a k32 that had the serial number punched out. Shop owner claimed it had been done by the sheriffs dept and another number had been stamped on the grip frame. Thought it strange and did not pursue the gun. Plus, this issue has come up several times and I am sure there would be interest in seeing just how it plays out. Thanks.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend who worked in a pawn & gun was offered a K38 with no serial number. He took it, loaned a bit of money on it, and called the police and BATF as soon as the guy left. No doubt the customer was given a lot of official attention.
My friend knew the various SN locations and found one the scrub artist had missed. That was used to get the gun back to its prior legitimate owner, probably with renewed external serial number. But that was years ago, the authorities may be more strict now.